UFC

UFC in Chicago: Dillashaw vs. Barao 2

The UFC returns to Chicago and the United Center on Saturday, July 25, featuring a stacked card that features local fighters Eddie Wineland, Eric Koch and Kenny Robertson. Full card, ticket and broadcast details in the press release below.

UFC in Chicago

In one of the most highly anticipated rematches in recent memory, UFC® bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw will meet former champ Renan Barao when the Octagon® returns to United Center in Chicago on Saturday, July 25. UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: DILLASHAW vs. BARAO 2 marks the seventh UFC championship title bout to air on FOX.

After pulling off one of the biggest upsets in the history of the sport by dethroning then-champ Barao at UFC 173, Dillashaw (12-2, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) will put the 135-pound strap on the line against the very man he took it from. Barao (35-2, 1 NC, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), whose record includes eight wins by knockout and 15 by submission, looks to reclaim the title he held for almost two years. With more than 30 finishes between them, this championship rematch could be one of the best fights of the year.

Also, No. 2 women’s bantamweight Miesha Tate (16-5, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) will clash with fifth-ranked Jessica Eye (11-2, 1 NC, fighting out of Cleveland, Ohio). With both women’s eyes set on a shot at champion Ronda Rousey’s title, Tate and Eye will be in a high-stakes battle. As the only woman to take Rousey out of the first round of competition, Tate hopes a dominant performance over Eye will secure a trilogy matchup against the champ. For Eye, she looks to earn her first shot at the world title; something she feels is already rightfully hers.

In addition, the main card will feature a classic striker vs. grappler matchup as No. 7 lightweight contender Edson Barboza (15-3, fighting out of Nova Fridurgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) meets eighth-ranked Myles Jury (15-1, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.). Barboza’s elite striking has earned him victories over veterans Bobby Green and Evan Dunham, while Jury is known for his slick jiu-jitsu submissions and finishing prowess.

Looking to make it four consecutive victories, Illinois’ own Kenny Robertson (15-3, fighting out of Washington, Ill.) squares off against welterweight veteran Ben Saunders (18-6-2, fighting out of Orlando, Fla.).

Jessamyn Duke (3-2, 1 NC, fighting out of Glendale, Calif.) of ‘The Four Horsewomen’, a quartet of fighters led by UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, meets Elizabeth Phillips (4-3, fighting out of Spokane, Wash.) in a women’s 135-pound scrap.

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: DILLASHAW vs. BARAO 2 on sale Friday, June 5 at 10 a.m. CT and are priced at $253, $178, $128, $93, $78, $53 and $43. Tickets are available for purchase at www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available at United Center box office.

If you plan on watching at home, UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: DILLASHAW vs. BARAO 2 will air live on FOX at 7 p.m. Chicago time, with the prelims kicking off the evening on FOX at 5 p.m.

About Matt Lo Cascio

Matt Lo Cascio is a former TV producer who turned to new media in 2005, and he is the co-founder and editor of Chicago's MMA. He is also the play-by-play announcer for the XFO. His work has been published by ESPN.com, DraftKings, The Comeback, FanSided and more.